The Charmsteins
by justanoutlaw
Summary: Emma discovers something about her mother's heritage.


Snow lifted the menorah out of the box, dusting it off. It had been in her family for so many generations, made by her great-great-grandmother. Under the curse it had ended up in Gold's shop, but he had returned it to her not long after it was broken. Now, she kept it tucked safely away in her closet, waiting for the start of the holiday season. Hanukkah was coming in just a week and she was so excited. Not only would it be Neal's first, but Emma's as well.

"What's that?" Emma asked, poking her head out from the box of Christmas decorations.

"Oh, this is my menorah."

"Menorah? For like Hanukkah?"

Snow laughed. "Yeah, we celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah in this family."

Emma's eyebrows burrowed. "Which one of you is Jewish?"

"I am," Snow said slowly. "Wait, did we never tell you?"

She racked her brain and realized that this wasn't just their first Hanukkah with Neal, but their first with Emma as well. They had celebrated Christmas together under the curse, but they hadn't known one another. The curse had also stripped away her Jewish identity, so she'd have no reason to celebrate it. The holidays after the curse broke, they were all in the Enchanted Forest while Emma and Henry were in New York.

"No," Emma admitted. "You didn't."

"I guess I was just so used to it being a tradition in our family." Snow patted the spot next to her. "Come sit." Emma moved to sit beside her and Snow showed off the menorah. "My great-great grandmother made this and it's been used in our family for generations."

"I didn't even know that the realms had religions."

"We do, definitely. Both of my parents were Jewish, Regina is as well-she converted when she married my dad. I know that Henry grew up celebrating both."

"I just assumed it was a cursed thing."

"Well, this is our first holiday celebrating it together. Under the curse, I wasn't Jewish but our first holidays after it, I wanted to go back to my roots. We celebrated in the Enchanted Forest and I wished more than anything you could be there."

Emma gave her a sad smile. "Yeah, so do I."

"But we can now." Snow squeezed her hand.

"Do I have to get you guys 8 days' worth of presents?"

"It's not about the gifts, Em. It's the celebration of the holiday and what it symbolizes. The candle burned 8 whole nights. A lot of my culture relies around faith and hope."

"Thus all the hope speeches?"

Snow grinned. "My mother told me several stories when I was a little girl and they just stuck with me."

"I'm Jewish," Emma mumbled to herself. "Wow."

"You don't have to do anything with the religion, if you don't want to. Your father's father was Catholic, but they didn't go to church much after he died. Even now, we only really go for the holidays and such. We never want to push this stuff on you kids. At the end of the day, all I really want is my family together for the holidays."

One week later, everyone gathered at the loft for the first night of Hanukkah. Even Henry and Regina tagged along, wanting to celebrate their first proper holiday together as a family. Emma was shocked at all of the food her mother made. She had expected latkes; but brisket, kugel and sufganiyah (basically jelly donuts) also filled the air. David, Emma and Henry all got in a semi-competitive game of Dreidel, Emma loving that you could win chocolate as a prize. She had learned a little about the holiday growing up in the public school system where everything had to be represented, but it was different to celebrate with family.

Eventually, it was time to light the first candle. Henry had helped Emma with the prayer that was said, so she was prepared. He had even helped her find someone that could better help her with her first gift to her mom. She wasn't the best at the words, but she felt comfortable with them. It felt good to actually be a part of something.

Once they ate the delicious food, they settled down to exchange gifts. Emma loved her new earrings from her dad and the scarf from her mom, while Regina had got her a new messenger bag while Henry had chosen a boxset of Star Wars movies. Everyone got something that they liked, even little Neal who couldn't quite understand the holiday.

Emma saved her gift for her mom last. "I know it might be a little lame. I got you actual stuff for the other 7 nights," she explained as she passed it over.

Snow shook her head. "I told you, Emma, these nights aren't about the gifts."

She opened up the envelope and tilted her head at the schedule in her hands.

"What is this, sweetheart?" She asked.

"It's when I'll be meeting with Rabbi Barans," Emma said. "Henry told me that he's having his bar mitzvah come his next birthday. I don't know if I'll be ready for my bat by the time mine comes around, but hopefully with some studying, I can get there."

Tears welled up in Snow's eyes. "You want to have a bat mitzvah?"

"Nothing big, I just…I want to be a part of this, I want it to be official."

Snow threw her arms around her daughter, squeezing her tightly. Emma grinned, hugging her mom back tighter. She knew it'd be a good gift.


End file.
